«Bandecchi announces that there will be one of his candidates in Reggio Calabria and that perhaps he will be shot in the street. It is clear that you have completely lost your bearings and do not realize what you are saying.” Thus, through a press release issued yesterday afternoon, the acting mayor Paolo Brunetti responded to Stefano Bandecchi, the mayor of Terni who had presented an offer for the acquisition of the sports title of Reggina Calcio to which the “Fenice Amaranto” project was preferred by the Municipality.
Precisely the fate of football in Reggio is at the center of the conflict, which in the last few hours has taken on a truly furious tone, following above all an interview given by Bandecchi to “Strettoweb” and published yesterday morning, in which reference is made to the latest developments of the story which are intertwined with possible political scenarios with a candidacy in Reggio promoted by the mayor of Terni himself. «I would like to reassure Bandecchi: in Reggio Calabria – continued Brunetti – no one has the intention of shooting anyone. The people of Reggio are respectable people, Bandecchi has no doubts. Indeed, he will always be welcome in Reggio Calabria.”
And again: «His statements are offensive and out of place – added Brunetti, still referring to the content of the interview -. This way of understanding institutions certainly does not belong to us. Here Bandecchi will not find mayors who raise their hands at city councilors, nor football presidents who spit at their team’s fans. Reggio is a welcoming and respectful community, it does not deserve to be represented in that way.”
Bandecchi told Strettoweb: “The rudeness I suffered in Reggio Calabria will be paid for politically. Write it down, I’ll announce it to you today: in the next municipal elections of Reggio Calabria there will certainly be the candidate for Mayor of Alternativa Popolare. I’m happy that I’m not managing Reggina, so our candidate As Mayor he will annoy everyone, he will make the centre-right lose and let’s see if he can win. He will be a strong and fair candidate, he will not be conflicted with a world that is quite disgusting to me, he will be a clean candidate. At most they will shoot him in the street… “.